Methodology

The SCP will be highly participatory using primarily qualitative enquiry to inform analysis and conclusions. A wide range of stakeholders will have an opportunity to participate in the process through a variety of avenues, necessary to ensure that the final version of the Standards represents, as practicable as possible, the views of the global humanitarian civil-military coordination community.

3.1 Activities

Physical events, such as humanitarian and military operational exercises, simulations, training courses, workshops and capacity-building events will serve as the main platforms for consultation and measurement, and provide the forums for engagement with key stakeholders. An online survey, reflecting each standard and their expected outcome, will further consultation and gauge usability and relevance of the Standard within the specific user groups.

The SCP will be undertaken based on three main principles:

  • Relevance: the ability of the Standards to address the coordination needs of the providing, receiving and interacting responders.
  • Usability: the ease of use and understanding of the Standards.
  • Accuracy: how the Standards reflect real-life situations and complement existing coordination architectures.

The SCP will be structured around the various levels of potential humanitarian civil-military engagement. It will seek to obtain a minimum of 100 data entries per group of stakeholders. Table 1 summarizes these below:

3.2 Stakeholders

The SCP will seek to be as inclusive as possible, covering those groups and agencies who are considered key stakeholders in the humanitarian civil-military coordination ecosystem. Broadly, these groups are:

  • Government: civilian and military entities
  • United Nations: humanitarian, development and security institutions
  • Non-Governmental Organizations: international and national
  • Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement: ICRC, IFRC and national societies
  • Preparedness, coordination, advocacy and information functions: national emergency response organizations, HCTs, sector/cluster leads, RCO office and OCHA entities
  • Donors
  • Private sector
  • Academia
  • Affected people

The groups will also be interviewed and consulted during the online survey. The intent is to ensure maximum consultation and participation, whilst managing expectations given the short timeframe. The SCP will be as innovative and flexible as possible – using alternate methods where attendance at face-to-face events is impossible.

Table 1:

3.3 Phased Approach

The consolidation process will take a phased approach comprising four parts: the first phase will develop the tools and identify events for the consultations; the second phase will measure the Standards and capture feedback; the third phase will consolidate feedback; and the final phase will evaluate the proposed changes.

  • Phase 1: Develop the tools for consultations

The SCO and CMCS will develop the feedback tools, including an online survey, and identify the events for scenario-measurement.

  • Phase 2: Measurement of the Standards

The Standards will be measured and discussed through a series of physical events at the international, national and sub-national levels. The online survey will be launched to further gauge the usability and relevance of the Standards with a wider audience.

  • Phase 3: Consolidation of Feedback

The feedback from the physical events, the online survey and remote consultations will be collated to propose final revisions and adjustments to the Standards. The SCO will produce a final synthesis report.

  • Phase 4: Proposals for change and approval process

Synthesis report evaluated by Drafting Committee and Advisory Group. Finalize Standards and widely promulgate in advance of consultations at the annual meeting of the Consultative Group on Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination in February 2018.